Answer to Medical Mystery Monday #117

Frozen shoulder is a painful condition that results in a severe limitation in motion of one shoulder joint. It is more common in women in their 50s, often occurs after trauma to the shoulder, and is associated with medical illness like diabetes or thyroid disease. The ball-and-socket joint where the humerus (upper arm) meets the glenoid fossa (of the shoulder blade) becomes inflamed and scarred, “freezing” the shoulder. Patients complain of severe pain that is worse at night and restriction of motion of the shoulder, as our patient did. On exam, the patient often cannot move the affected shoulder past a certain point, due to pain and stiffness. X-rays of the shoulder are completely normal in this condition.

The pain and stiffness of frozen shoulder can last for months, and then slowly improve. It is treated with anti-inflammatory medications and gentle physical therapy. More severe cases can be treated with steroid and anesthetic injections in the joint. Most patients eventually regain their strength and function of the joint. Thanks again to the reader who sent in this case!

no articule just an observation from my online research which stated that the frozen shoulder was a result of lack off fluid in it.thats why I was curious if fluid from another joint could help anyone get relief.

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